Bad addresses.

**Goldenboy** · June 20th, 2008, 09:42 PM

Does everyone get alot of bad addresses. Not like the one-call center mistyped something. I'm talking contractors that just don't know what the address is. I'm so sick of bad address and no address tickets.

I had another ticket today that was a bad address so I called the contractor. He said yes the address is 415 it's on the North side of the road on the corner. I informed him I'm standing at the corner and the address on the North side is 410, I told him 415 is a South side address. So he says he must of wrote it down wrong.

I'm so sick of calling contractors. You'd think if you had a contract to do work with the person or company that you'd at least know the correct address. Ok I'm done venting.

**underground quester** · June 20th, 2008, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

Does everyone get alot of bad addresses. Not like the one-call center mistyped something. I'm talking contractors that just don't know what the address is. I'm so sick of bad address and no address tickets.

I had another ticket today that was a bad address so I called the contractor. He said yes the address is 415 it's on the North side of the road on the corner. I informed him I'm standing at the corner and the address on the North side is 410, I told him 415 is a South side address. So he says he must of wrote it down wrong.

I'm so sick of calling contractors. You'd think if you had a contract to do work with the person or company that you'd at least know the correct address. Ok I'm done venting.

Golden:

I have a new commercial development in my work area that is probably a mile and a half by a mile and a half. Lots of new buildings going up. They all use the same freekin address no matter what area within the development I need to locate. So, I have to phone them up and ask which building.

**LadyLeatherneck** · June 21st, 2008, 06:25 AM

One of my pet peaves.

Doesn't common sense tell a person you need a correct address? Why would you give an incorrect address (just because?). Haven't they done this long enough to know they need correct addresses? Don't they get tired of people calling them because the addresses are incorrect? I would. Or they say "Lot ?", and you get there and the lots aren't marked. Or they give an address and the address is not posted at the house - sometimes you luck out and some intelligent ho on that street decided to post theirs so you can pretty much figure it out from there! WHAT IF THESE PEOPLE NEED 911?

**sprayandpray** · June 21st, 2008, 08:18 AM

I really love it when they tell me to check at the construction trailer at new sub-divisions

**Goldenboy** · June 21st, 2008, 08:21 AM

So if you clear out the ticket bad address and then the contractor hits something who's at fault. The contractor is sent a copy of the ticket and is supposed to recheck it. I know if there is a damage then it's the locators fault but to me if it's a bad address the contractor does not have a valid ticket.

**underground quester** · June 21st, 2008, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by LocatingLarry

One of my pet peaves.

Doesn't common sense tell a person you need a correct address? Why would you give an incorrect address (just because?). Haven't they done this long enough to know they need correct addresses? Don't they get tired of people calling them because the addresses are incorrect? I would. Or they say "Lot ?", and you get there and the lots aren't marked. Or they give an address and the address is not posted at the house - sometimes you luck out and some intelligent ho on that street decided to post theirs so you can pretty much figure it out from there! WHAT IF THESE PEOPLE NEED 911?

Intelligence L.L. is not something one is born with, it has to be learned.
Some people it seems thought God was handing out trains, not brains, and they missed theirs...

As 80% of my area is newer communities or under development, I face every one of these scenarios a fair bit

Stupid Asses (oops! did I say that in my out loud voice)

**LadyLeatherneck** · June 21st, 2008, 09:49 AM

As for who is at fault - depends apparantly on what company you work for and whether or not your sup is an a##hole. Ours is very difficult to work for and would say it was our fault, because we didn't put forth enough effort to figure it out. Back in the old days, I would've coded it as unable to locate, invalid ticket, wrong address, ticket doesn't cover work area, etc. Not with this guy!!!!!!!!!! Nothing anyone does is right. We are all screw ups and can't do anything right. In the past 21 years I've only seen one other sup that was this bad, (and I've been through many) and he was fired. I'm hoping the same thing will happen to this one. Not that I want anyone to be fired, but he's just not sup material. Need to get rid of Lead Locator also. (Same problem). I think they are intimidated by experienced locators who know more than they do, scared they'll take their jobs. Somebody needs to. OK - I'm done venting now.

**UULC** · June 21st, 2008, 09:49 AM

I would call the contractor and tell them the area IS NOT marked and to call in a new corrected ticket. I would then add notes to the ticket and into the time and date stamped journal. I would also put paint down at the entrance and take my pictures and close the ticket as marked. If the contractor hit something, then the area is marked and I have pictures. There are notes on the ticket and in the journal.

**LadyLeatherneck** · June 21st, 2008, 10:08 AM

Good advice - but if there is a damage - it'll be my fault!

**Goldenboy** · June 21st, 2008, 11:20 AM

I will still bill out a ticket "bad address" if the contractor will not return my phone call and I can't figure out what he needed. After I clear out the ticket with notes about the phone calls I then leave another message for the contractor that there was no locates done for them because the address does not exist.

**Mr Blunderbuss** · June 21st, 2008, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

I will still bill out a ticket "bad address" if the contractor will not return my phone call and I can't figure out what he needed. After I clear out the ticket with notes about the phone calls I then leave another message for the contractor that there was no locates done for them because the address does not exist.

Had one yesterday; left a message for the contractor that there was NO house number on the ticket, and then I cleared it out with the notation, "invalid address". Right before I was to end my day the contractor calls and gives me the house number. Another locator had apparently called him. I believe that when something like this happens they should be required to call in a corrected ticket.

**UULC** · June 21st, 2008, 01:18 PM

Mr. B

I would have told him the ticket was closed out and would have to call in another ticket.

**Mr Blunderbuss** · June 21st, 2008, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by UULC

Mr. B

I would have told him the ticket was closed out and would have to call in another ticket.

I had indicated this in the voice message that I left but I'm not counting on the idiot to call in a new ticket. BTW, "idiot" is a term I use for ALL contractors, whether they are or not.

**big boots mcghee** · June 21st, 2008, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Blunderbuss

Had one yesterday; left a message for the contractor that there was NO house number on the ticket, and then I cleared it out with the notation, "invalid address". Right before I was to end my day the contractor calls and gives me the house number. Another locator had apparently called him. I believe that when something like this happens they should be required to call in a corrected ticket.

On a bad address ticket I typically try to reach the contractor twice prior to the start date and time. If I haven't spoken to them by the time the ticket clears I bill it out with specific notes indicating why the site wasn't located or that the contractor could not be reached but I left a message, etc.

I typically leave a message stating that the address that they've called in is incorrect and why, that their ticket is invalid and that it will need to be called back in with the correct information, and that they should only call me if the address is in fact correct and can provide me with directions. Usually when they call me back and try to get me to respond to their bad address ticket I let them know that I'm not the only locator responding to their job and that the best bet is just to call in a corrected ticket so everyone makes it to their jobsite. I rarely run into a problem with having tickets called back in, but when I do it's the contractor's problem because of the simple fact they do not have a valid ticket when the address is incorrect.

**shovelhead** · June 21st, 2008, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by big boots mcghee

On a bad address ticket I typically try to reach the contractor twice prior to the start date and time. If I haven't spoken to them by the time the ticket clears I bill it out with specific notes indicating why the site wasn't located or that the contractor could not be reached but I left a message, etc.

I typically leave a message stating that the address that they've called in is incorrect and why, that their ticket is invalid and that it will need to be called back in with the correct information, and that they should only call me if the address is in fact correct and can provide me with directions. Usually when they call me back and try to get me to respond to their bad address ticket I let them know that I'm not the only locator responding to their job and that the best bet is just to call in a corrected ticket so everyone makes it to their jobsite. I rarely run into a problem with having tickets called back in, but when I do it's the contractor's problem because of the simple fact they do not have a valid ticket when the address is incorrect.

A big + 1 to that my friend! And I'd also add that in my area we have MANY confused contractors who don't know what COUNTY or CITY they are working in! Unreal. When I first started doing this, our sups ( and the company it seems) were very supportive of not bending over backwards on bad addresses. Now, everyone is in ass covering mode full time. Clear a bad address at your own risk...

I will attempt to telephone three times. If I don't get a response for the first two, I call again and state that they have until the end of the business day to contact, or else they dig at their own risk. That works 99 out of 100 times, even with those who use English as a second language....